Britain set for record-breaking ‘blowtorch summer’

Diane King

Don’t laugh, but the UK could be set for a record-breaking summer with the mercury set to hit 35C.

Despite large parts of the country being covered in cloud and chill, weather experts are predicting a risk of heatwaves in the coming months.

The forecast comes following a trend of increasing temperatures - the country as a whole having been hotter than average each month this year.

And Met Office figures show a figure that is 1.2C above the average following unusually dry southerly winds. It is these ‘blowtorch’ blasts from southern Europe that are likely to cause the hike in heat.

If this pattern continues, the average for the year will be 10C, whereas the annual average is just 8.5C.

A spokesperson for the Met Office said: “Temperatures are most likely to be above the seasonal average as we head into July, particularly in the east, with a chance of further very warm or even hot interludes here.”